. >> reporter: late yesterday there was a statement issued by the senate majority leader harry reid who said the three republicans politicize sizing this issue and called their behavior outrage just, jenna. jenna: well have more as the story volz throughout the day. catherine, thank you. >> reporter: you're welcome. jon: another story gripping washington, the size of our national debt. one lawmaker says the real problem is the fiscal avalanche that looms if the government fails to deal with our massive national debt. it is now over $16 trillion and counting. utah republican senator mike lee wrote that the in an, wrote that in a recent opinion piece. he is a member of the joint economic committee. you're from utah. a lot of mountains there. i'm sure you know what an avalanche looks like and the problem with them is as you point out you don't know when they're going to come. >> that's right, jon. unlike the give which you can see coming the avalanche is there in the sense that the conditions are present but you don't know exactly when it is going to hit you. by the time it hits you it is